🚀 Getting Started
Installation & Setup
1
Download & Install
Download ViewLingo from the Mac App Store and install it like any other macOS app.
2
Grant Screen Recording Permission
When you first run ViewLingo, macOS will ask for Screen Recording permission. This is required for the app to capture and translate screen content.
3
Choose Your Languages
Set your preferred target language and source language priorities in the settings.
4
Start Translating!
Press Control+Shift+A to create your first viewfinder and start translating.
💡 Pro Tip: ViewLingo works completely offline! Once installed, you don't need an internet connection to translate text.
📱 Basic Usage
Creating a Viewfinder
There are two main ways to create a viewfinder in ViewLingo:
Primary Method: Instant Creation
Simply press Control+Shift+A to instantly create a viewfinder at your mouse cursor position. Quick and effortless!
Alternative: Menu Bar
You can also create a viewfinder from the menu bar icon or app menu for more control over placement.
Using the Viewfinder
1
Position the Viewfinder
Drag the viewfinder window to position it over the text you want to translate. The viewfinder is semi-transparent so you can see the content underneath.
2
Resize if Needed
Drag the corners or edges to resize the viewfinder to fit your text perfectly. Larger text areas may need bigger viewfinders.
3
Automatic Translation
ViewLingo automatically detects and translates text within the viewfinder. Translations appear as overlays on the original text.
4
Close When Done
Press ESC or triple-click the viewfinder to close it.
[Screenshot: Viewfinder positioned over Japanese text with English translation overlay]
⚡ Live Translation Mode
Live Mode automatically retranslates content as it changes on screen, perfect for videos, live streams, and dynamic content.
💡 Tip: Live Mode works best with focused, smaller viewfinder areas. For best results, position the viewfinder over the specific content you want to translate rather than covering a large area.
When to Use Live Mode
Video Subtitles
Translate foreign language subtitles in real-time while watching videos on YouTube, Netflix, or other platforms.
Live Streams
Follow live broadcasts, gaming streams, or news in foreign languages with continuous translation.
Scrolling Content
Read through long articles or documents in foreign languages as you scroll.
Chat & Messages
Follow real-time conversations in messaging apps or chat rooms.
Enabling Live Mode
1
Open Settings
Click the ViewLingo menu and select "Settings" or press Command+,
2
Check Settings
Ensure Live Translation Mode is enabled in the General tab.
3
Enable Live Mode
Toggle on "Live Translation Mode" in settings if it isn't already enabled.
4
Use the Live Button
Click the "Live" button in your viewfinder to start continuous translation.
💡 Performance Tip: Turn off Live Mode when you're done to preserve system performance. Using a smaller viewfinder area produces faster and more accurate results.
🔤 Advanced Translation Features
Vertical Text Support
ViewLingo natively handles vertical text commonly found in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean content. When vertical text is detected, translations render in the correct writing direction automatically.
CJK Vertical Text
Japanese, Chinese, and Korean vertical text is recognized and translated with proper top-to-bottom, right-to-left rendering.
Mixed Direction
When CJK text is translated to horizontal languages like English, the translation adapts its layout direction automatically.
Adaptive Font Sizing
Translations often differ in length from the original text. ViewLingo automatically adjusts the font size and layout to ensure translated text fits naturally within the original text area while remaining readable.
💡 How it works: When a translation is longer than the original (common when translating from CJK to English), ViewLingo tries condensed fonts, horizontal compression, and multi-line wrapping in sequence to find the best fit.
⚙️ Settings & Preferences
Language Settings
Target Language
Choose which language you want text translated to. This is typically your native language.
Source Language Priority
Set the order in which ViewLingo attempts to detect source languages. Put commonly encountered languages first.
Auto-Detection
Enable automatic language detection to let ViewLingo determine the source language automatically.
App Language
Choose the language for ViewLingo's interface. Can follow system settings or be set manually.
Display Settings
- Background Opacity: Adjust how transparent the translation overlay background appears
- Text Filtering: Skip short text, numbers, or programming keywords
- Viewfinder Memory: Remember the last viewfinder size and position
Performance Settings
- Live Mode: Enable/disable live translation
- Text Recognition: Adjust OCR sensitivity and processing options
- Memory Management: Options for managing resource usage
⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts
Create Viewfinder
Control+Shift+A
Creates a new viewfinder at your mouse cursor position
Quick Viewfinder
fn+Control (double-tap)
Instantly creates a viewfinder with your previous size
Close Viewfinder
ESC
Closes the active viewfinder
Open Settings
Command+,
Opens the ViewLingo preferences
Triple-Click
Click viewfinder three times quickly
Alternative way to close viewfinder
Quit ViewLingo
Command+Q
Closes ViewLingo completely
💡 Customization: You can change some keyboard shortcuts in ViewLingo's settings to match your workflow preferences.
🎯 Tips & Best Practices
For Best Translation Accuracy
- Ensure Good Contrast: Translation works best when text is clearly visible against its background
- Use Appropriate Viewfinder Size: Include entire words and sentences, but avoid excessive empty space
- Check Text Clarity: Blurry or pixelated text may not be recognized accurately
- Set Correct Source Language: If auto-detection isn't working, manually set the source language priority
Workflow Optimization
- Position Viewfinders Strategically: Place them where text appears most frequently
- Use Multiple Viewfinders: You can have several viewfinders open simultaneously
- Learn the Shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts make creating and closing viewfinders much faster
- Adjust Opacity: Fine-tune background opacity so translations are readable without obscuring original content
Performance Tips
- Close Unused Viewfinders: Don't leave viewfinders open when not needed
- Use Focused Viewfinders in Live Mode: Smaller areas produce faster results
- Monitor System Resources: Keep an eye on memory usage if you notice slowdowns
- Restart Periodically: If you're doing extensive translation work, restart ViewLingo occasionally
💡 Live Mode Tip: Live Mode works best with smaller viewfinder areas focused on specific content. Turn it off when you're done to preserve system resources.
🛠️ Troubleshooting
Common Issues and Solutions
Text Not Being Recognized
- Check that the text is clearly visible and not blurry
- Ensure adequate contrast between text and background
- Try adjusting the viewfinder size to include more context
- Verify that the source language is supported
Translations Are Inaccurate
- Check language settings - ensure correct source and target languages
- Include more context by expanding the viewfinder
- Verify that the text is in a supported language
- Some specialized terminology may not translate perfectly
App Performance Issues
- Close unnecessary viewfinders
- Disable Live Mode if enabled
- Restart ViewLingo
- Check macOS system requirements (15.0+)
- Restart your Mac if problems persist
Permission Issues
- Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording
- Ensure ViewLingo is enabled in the list
- If ViewLingo isn't in the list, try reinstalling the app
- Restart ViewLingo after granting permission
After an Update: If ViewLingo stops capturing after an update even though permission appears enabled, you need to remove and re-add the permission. Go to System Settings > Screen Recording, remove ViewLingo with the − button, then add it back with + and restart the app. This is required because macOS re-verifies app identity after updates.
Getting Help
If you're still experiencing issues:
🔒 Privacy & Security
How ViewLingo Protects Your Privacy
100% On-Device Processing
All translations happen on your Mac using Apple's built-in translation engine. Your content never leaves your device.
No Data Collection
ViewLingo doesn't collect, store, or transmit any of your content. We don't know what you translate.
Secure Screen Capture
Screen captures are processed immediately and never stored. Only the content within your viewfinder is analyzed.
No Internet Required
ViewLingo works completely offline, ensuring your sensitive content never crosses network boundaries.
App Store Security
ViewLingo is distributed through the Mac App Store and runs in Apple's secure sandbox environment, providing additional protection against malicious behavior.
🔒 Privacy Guarantee: Your translations are as private as your thoughts - they never leave your Mac. Read our complete
Privacy Policy for more details.